IESI Bethlehem Landfill has extended homeowners in the Steel City section of Lower Saucon Township the proverbial olive branch as it seeks approval to expand its operation.

The landfill is offering a Property Guaranty Agreement that would guarantee that property values would not decrease while Bethlehem Landfill continues to accept waste for disposal.

Under the arrangement, homeowners who sign the agreement then sell their houses would be paid the difference of the appraised value and sale price or IESI would outright purchase the home.

The company met privately with about 125 people on Thursday night to explain the plan. Also in attendance were representatives from the landfill's parent company, Progressive Waste Solutions.

IESI officials said the idea for the PGA arose through meetings with residents.

"We've had the opportunity over the last several months to meet with residents in the community and hear their specific concerns about property values and landfill operations," said John Lamanna, region vice president, IESI/Progressive Waste Solutions.

"We listened and, as a result, developed the PGA that is being offered to homeowners in close proximity to the landfill," he said.

Landfill officials, in written information sent to Steel City homeowners in advance of Thursday's meeting, said residents would be allowed to ask questions of landfill officials and learn more about the PGA. Residents have until Dec. 31 to sign and return the agreement in order to participate in the program.

Lamanna would not give specifics on how many property owners were given the opportunity to participate.

"It's safe to say that IESI met with a number of residents prior to drafting [the PGA]," he said.

The PGA offer comes as the landfill on Applebutter Road, which has been in existence since the 1940s, is expected to run out of space by 2016.

IESI is seeking to rezone 83 acres to allow an expansion onto 58 of those acres.

Many in the community oppose the expansion, citing property values as well as odor issues. Council members have said legally they don't have to vote on IESI's zoning change request.

Meanwhile, IESI, which finds itself in a state of limbo, has cut down on the amount of trash it accepts while it waits a decision. The township, in turn, has proposed a 22 percent take hike for 2015 to make up for the lost landfill revenues.

Councilwoman Priscilla DeLeon, who lives in Steel City and serves as the council's landfill liaison, said she has been meeting with landfill representatives once a month and was never told they had been in negotiation with residents.

DeLeon said she's talked to a number of her neighbors and they said they have never been approached.

"I was unaware that this PGA contract was even being negotiated by several Steel City residents until several weeks ago," she said. "So far, no other Steel City resident I spoke with knew either."

She said that if IESI officials have been negotiating with some Steel City residents, she's concerned that a small group of residents are speaking for the entire neighborhood.

DeLeon isn't convinced the residents' environmental concerns are being addressed.

"I know residents I've spoken to are concerned about the odor and other environmental concerns," she said. "This agreement doesn't touch any of that."